A super place, apart from a couple of annoying students. House ales Adnam's Southwold Bitter and Young's Bitter were joined by eight(!) guests and four ciders and one Perry. My Farr Brew Chief Jester was superb as I thought it might be and this place is almost a Camra member's wet dream, only let down by some discernable background muzak.

The Half Moon is a decent looking pub that is on a busy road just off Hitchin's town centre.

Once inside the bar faces in a single oblongish shaped room which is carpeted,there are pew seats and chairs for seating,the rear area is up one step.
There was a very good choice of real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Oakham Citra which went down very well,the other real ales noted were Weird Beer Out of Office,Oldershaw's Grantham Porter,Adnams Bitter,Youngs Special,3 Brewers Special and one from Green Jack brewery i failed to note.
The pub was comfortable enough but there were too many real snobs in for my liking.

This is a top notch pub and probably the pub of the day on our trip around Hitchin on Saturday albeit with some strong contenders. Clearly once three rooms in an L-shaped space, we now enter to the side and find the bar opposite. Areas remain divided but by what looks like newish red brick arches and a reclaimed timber beam, a fireplace had an arrangement of beer glasses in a case above and beer bottles run around a picture rail shelf. Beer mats over a door canopy tell a story about the stock and rotation here and the row of framed CAMRA awards reinforce this further.
The standout though was how friendly and inclusive the pub is, a barman chatted to us and advised on beers, a couple sat near us engaged us in friendly conversation, then there is the service which was exemplary.
Ten handpumps for the ales, Saturday had three from Oakham, JHB, Bishop's Farewell and Attila (which sadly went before a chance to sample, 7.5%), Robinson's Wizard, Kent Brewery Black Mirror, Baa IPA, Goose Island Honkers (from Shepherd Neame I think), somebody's Snowdrop and house beers Adnams and Young's Bitters. Ciders also from Apple Cottage and Weston's, their Old Rosie, Wyldwood, Country Perry and from Wales Black Dragon. Something for everyone here.
Sounds good? There is more, as said the service was exemplary, my colleague ordered the Baa IPA to be told it has a sulpherous odour, which it certainly did but also tasted foul. He said if you don't like it I'll change it which he duly did. Not only that but when I plumped for one of the Oakham beers it had gone and he was pulling another through. The same chap went down to the cellar and poured me one off the cask. How often do you get service like that?
Additionally a bunch of Morris Dancers appeared and gave a ten minute display inside the pub before disappearing into the night. It was a wonderful pub, I don't do 10s, this is about a 9.8.